In the Cuban economic landscape, defined by the urgent need to substitute imports and generate new income. A mineral extracted from the earth in Holguin is emerging as a resource of increasing value. Zeolite, of volcanic origin, stands as a tangible contribution to the ailing national economy, although its path is fraught with challenges.
This versatile mineral, with applications ranging from agriculture and construction to medicine and water purification, represents an opportunity for economic diversification. However, the production plant in San Andrés wages a daily battle against frequent power outages and the complexities imposed by the economic blockade. A scenario that tests the resilience of its workers.
Moreover the paradox between its success abroad and its underutilization domestically is explained by engineer Armando Caises Ávalo, who heads production. “Various studies have been conducted, but a need for this product in the national market has not been established,” he states.
In this regard, he adds that elements such as “transportation” and “knowledge” are determining factors that explain why the mineral does not have the same recognition in Cuba as it does in other countries.
While overcoming these obstacles, the zeolite plant has maintained its commitment to exports. Adapting its methods to the country’s critical energy situation to meet orders from nations in Europe and Latin America.
But the true potential of zeolite goes beyond exports. Its potential unfolds in sustainable development projects that are already bearing fruit in local agriculture. An energy fertilizer, created in collaboration with the University of Havana, has allowed farmers in the San Andrés area to report very good results in bean and vegetable crops.
This volcanic rock thus becomes a symbol of the possibilities that emerge from the union of natural resources and ingenuity. It is not just an export raw material; it is emerging as a key element to bolster food sovereignty and sustainability in 21st-century Cuba.
By: Daimy Peña Guillén
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